Box



H. G. SCHMIDT Nov. 2s, 1933.

BOX

'Filed Sept. 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l H. G. Sclym;

BYQMwfT-g H. G. SCHMIDT Nov. 28, 1933.

BOX

Filed Sept. 14, 193]. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO R N EY Patented Nov. 23, i933 UNITE BQX Henry G. Schmidt, Empire, (Calif.

Application September 141, 1931 Serial No. 562,666

3 Claims.

This invention relates to boxes and particularly to those manufactured from bendable sheet material such as card or straw board and equivalent materials. The invention also deals particularly with one-piece boxes formed from a single blank of the material properly cut or stamped to shape and such as are used for the retail selling of candies and similar commodities. A box of this character is shown in my co-pending application for patent, Serial No. 381,416 dated July 27, 1929, over Which'the present box is an improvement. The sides and ends of such a box are associated in connection with the bottom and with each other at the factory in such relation that the boxes may be shipped to the userY in a flat condition, thereby taking up little space in shipment or storage.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a box of the above one-piece oldable character in which the parts are so'arranged that when the box is to be used, a few simple and easily performed operations are all that are necessary to place the box in condition for use; and so that it has the. desired rigidity and safety against possible collapse or refolding, Without the use of adhesive of any character being then required. I

E have also arranged the box so that it may have the extension bottomsuch as is extensively used in the candy trade, or it may be without the extension as in the case of the lids `for such boxes; the nal operations necessary to erect or place the box in condition for use being the same in both cases. I also arranged the box so that it presents a very neat andattractive appearance.

Aiurther object of the invention is toproduce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposev for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such `structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved box as ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the box showing one end ap still relatively unfolded.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the box folded but with one end flap raised.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the box blank as cut outl and outstretched.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary large plan of the blank. at one corner.

Fig. 6 is a similar perspective view of a corner of the completed box.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a lid for the box in condition for use.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the blank for the lid.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective View of a box in the process of iinal erection, showing a modied form of foldable end wings.

Referring now more particularly to the' characters of reference on the drawings, and particularly at present to Fig. 1 to 6, the box is formed from a one-piece blank B of relatively stii but bendable material of suitable character, and consisting essentially of a bottom 1, side walls 2 and end walls 3. The edges of'the bottom are scored as at i, another row of scoring 5 being disposed parallel to and outwardly of the scoring 4. Relatively narrow strips 6- are thus provided which form connections between the bottom and the sides proper and also between the ends and the bottom. The ends of the strips 6 are cut on alined diagonals as shown, with round edged notches 'l cut at the intersections of said diagonal ends with the scoring 4; the ends edges of the side and end walls being located at the opposite ends of the diagonal lines or where they intersect the scoring 5. Y

The scoring enables the blank to be manipulated so that the strips 6 may overlap the bottom and so that the sides and ends may extend vertically. The edges of the sides and ends then come together as will be evident s o that a box with an owwardly projecting bottom ange or extension all around the same is formed; the strips 6 being adhered to the bottom by any suitable adhesive applied at the time of manufacture. Owing to the curving edge notches 'l the corners of the extension present a rounded appearance as shown at 8 in Fig. 6, thus eliminating the sharpness of the corners which would otherwise be had and preventing them possibly catching in some exterior object with which they mayv come in contact.

Projecting fromthe end edges of the sides 2 are wings 9, Whose upper peripheries are preferably curved about a center taken at the junction of said edges with the scoring 5. The length of said Wings is preferably half the Width of the box or of the end walls 3. The lower edges E of the Vwings extend as direct continuations of the lines of scoring 5. The Wings are divided into what may be considered two equal parts by scoring 10 extending radially from the center of curvature of the wing edges, or diagonally of the box. W'hen the sides and ends of the box are vertically disposed and the wings are bent at right angles to the sides along the line of scoring 11 provided therebetween, the edges E lie adjacent and parallel to the bottom of the box and the then inner edges of the wings touch each other. The adjacent portions of the wings are then secured to the end walls by suitable adhesive, the remaining portions of the wings being unadhered.

The sides and ends are therefore permanently tied together and the ends are braced and strengthened by the double thickness of material thus provided. At the same time the parts of the box may be folded or laid out flat as shown in Fig. 3 without any strain or distortion such as would weaken the box and impair its rigidity and appearance when erected for use.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 9 the construction is the same as above described, except v that the wings 9a are of rectangular form instead of having the curved outer edge. This brings the outer edges of the wing portions when folded against each other along the-diagonal scoring, in alinement with the top of the sides. In this case the outer wing portions, while secured to the box ends are bent outwardly or away from each other, instead of being disposed in adjacent facing relation to each other as in the first type. The box may be fiattened out or folded however with the same facility.

Narrow aps 12 project outwardly from and extend along the outer edges; of the sides 2 from end to end, scoring 13 being provided in the material along the line of junction of said aps with the sides. The flaps at their ends are formed with deep extensions 14 so as to project to the bottom of the box when the flaps are folded inwardly. These extensions are provided with relatively large' notches 15 preferably of semicircular form which are cut therein from their outer edges. When initially assembling the box during its manufacture these naps are folded inwardly and adhered throughout their area on to the inner faces of the sides. The notches thus form sockets 16 with said sides, which sockets are open to the interior of the box as shown in Fig. 2. The flaps form reinforcements for the sides along the top increasing their rigidity without materially adding to the weight.

Formed with and projecting outwardly from the end walls 3 are flaps 1'7 the same height and width as the ends; the blanky being scored as at 18 to provide for a relative bending movement therebetween. Ears 19, the same size as the notches 15 are formed on the sides of these flaps in the proper position to engage the sockets when the flaps are folded inwardly, scoring 20 being provided in the blank between the flaps and ears to facilitate the bending of the latter.

Relatively narrow flaps 21 are formed along the outer edges of the aps 1'7 to rest on the bottom of the box when said flaps 17 are in place, scoring 22 being provided in the blank along the line of junction of the flaps. When the box is sold to the user the ends lie in longitudinal alinement with the bottom', and the flaps 17 and 21 lie fiat either in outstretched relation or folded overon the adjacent portions of the folded sides as shown in Fig. 3.

When it is desired to use the box the sides are opened up and the ends automatically move or fold toward each other so that the sides and ends move to a. vertical cooperating position to-l gether. The flaps 17 are then folded down inside the box, the ears 19 being automatically deflected from a straight-out position as they engage the sides with the downward pressure on the flaps, until such ears spring into the sockets 16. The flaps l of course enclose the wings whether in the position in Figs. 2 or 9, hold the latter rigidly in position and prevent any unfolding or separating movement between the side and end walls. The engagement of the ears with the sockets holds the flaps rigidly in a vertical position without the use of adhesive. Such holding is aided by the fact that the flaps 17 and 21 are slightly wider than the interior of the box, and become bent along their side edges as they are pressed into place in the box.

The parts are thus firmly held in place without the necessity of the user employing adhesive of any character and the box is placed in condition for use in but a few seconds time.

The blank B1 for the lid L of the box is practically the same as the blank B. Since however it is not desired for the lid to have the equivalent of the bottom extension, the strips 6 are omitted and the sides and ends 2a and 3a. respectively are joined directly onto the bottom 1a, with the necessary scoring 23 therebetween. The manner of initially building or erecting the lid from this blank and the steps of finally preparing the same for use are the same as described with the eX- 105 tension-bottom box. This construction is of course also suitable for boxes as well as lids.

All the scores except the ear scores 20 are relatively wide while the scores 20 are narrow. The wide scoring facilitates the bending of the parts so that they will readily assume the necessary angular relation to each other while avoiding the springy condition between the parts which is had with narrow scoring and which would prevent proper sticking of the adhesive unless excessive pressure were used. In the case of the ears however it is desired that they retain a springy connection with the aps in order that when bent they will spring out into the sockets of themselves.

Also, it is necessary to make the scores in those parts which are to be folded directly onto or against each other wider than the remainder. The strips 6 for instance fold against the bottom member, while the sides or ends only move 125 to a 90 position relative to these strips. The scores 4 must therefore be made wider than the scores 5, in proportion to the greater amount of bending required along the scores 4 than along the score 5.

Also, the actualwidths of the different scores will depend on the thickness of the material used in making the box.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a deviceas substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as de-v fined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A box formed of a blank of bendable sheet" material and including a bottom wall, strips integral with and extending along the sides and ends of said wall and adapted to be folded over 150 CIJ bij

and abutted against said wall; the ends of the strips being out diagonally in a manner to cause said ends, when the strips are folded over, to abut against each other in diagonal relation to the box; round edged notches being out in the blank at the junction of said diagonal edges with each other and with the bottom proper to cause rounded corners to be formed on the box when the strips are folded over into place.

2. In a folding box formed from a one-piece bendable blank out to form bottom side and end walls, strips integral with the blank connecting the side and end walls with the bottom wall and arranged, when the side and end walls are vertical, to overhang and lie parallel to and against the bottom wall, and scoring along both sides of the strips at their junction with the respective parts; the scoring at the junction of the strips with the bottom Wall being relatively wide to facilitate bending of the parts and their retention in a bent position without material resistance, while the scoring at the junction of said strips with the side and end walls is relatively narrow to cause the corresponding parts when bent to retain a tendency to unbending. j

3. A folding box formed from a one-piece bendable blank cut to form bottom, side and end walls, extensions formed along the upper edges of the side walls and adapted to be folded inwardly of and secured against the side walls', and interlocking means between the end walls and said extensions at the sides thereof; said extensions at their ends being substantially the height of the box but being relatively narrow intermediate their ends so as to reinforce the sides of the box along their top edges without materially increasing the weight of the box.

HENRY G. SCT.

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